In particular work environments, such as industrial kitchens and laboratories, differently sized work surfaces are necessary to accommodate different tasks. For instance, a chef who is preparing a small dish intended for one customer does not require the same amount of work surface area as a chef preparing a large dish intended for many customers. However, constraints on physical space make it impractical for such a work environment to keep a variety of differently sized work surfaces on site.
It is also important that particular work environments maintain a certain level of cleanliness. For instance, industrial kitchens must comply with health regulations to ensure the quality of food prepared therein. Similarly, laboratories must maintain a clean environment to ensure the reliability of the laboratory's research. Therefore, it is imperative that work surfaces in such environments do not harbor undesirable substances lodged in crevasses and interstices.
Existing devices used to join work surfaces are complicated, time-consuming, and expensive. In addition, such devices are prone to collecting undesirable substances in the joints connecting the work surfaces. One type of prior art device connects adjacent work surfaces using channels having upper and lower flanges. The upper flange of a first channel is fixed to the underside of a first work surface. The lower flange of the first channel is fixed to the top surface of a cabinet base. Similarly, the upper flange of a second channel is fixed to the underside of a second work surface and the lower flange of the second channel is fixed to the top surface of the cabinet base. When the first and second work surfaces are brought in close proximity, a flat, rigid strip is inserted between the upper flanges of the channels to hold the tops of the work surfaces in a coplanar relationship. Bolts are then used to connect the adjacent channels. As the bolts are tightened, the work surfaces are pulled together.
Such a system is overly complex, costly, and insufficient for creating a clean joint between the work surfaces. Connecting work surfaces using channels requires an excessive number of interacting parts, such as the channels themselves, flanges on the channels, a flat strip, and bolts. The cost of connecting the work surfaces is likely proportional to the number of individual parts that are necessary to accomplish such connections.
Another type of prior art device connects adjacent work surfaces using mating edge members. A first work surface has a female edge member along one side and a second work surface has a male edge member along a juxtaposed side. The female edge member has two outwardly disposed ribs and three inwardly disposed channels. The male edge member has three outwardly disposed ribs and two inwardly disposed channels. When the side of the first work surface is brought together with the side of the second work surface, the ribs of the male edge member extend into the channels of the female edge member, and the ribs of the female edge member extend into the channels of the male edge member. The mated edge members form a joint connecting the two work surfaces.
Connecting work surfaces through the use of mating edge members is overly complex and expensive. One reason is that the edge members must be manufactured precisely to ensure proper mating. Even a slight defect in the manufacture of the edge members can result in there being a seam between the work surfaces, wherein undesirable substances can be deposited. There is likely a significant cost associated with manufacturing edge members that mate sufficiently well to keep undesirable substances out of the seams between the work surfaces. Further, the system at issue does not place any adhesive or similar joining substance in the seam between the mating edge members. Accordingly, even precisely manufactured mating edge members leave a slight interstice between the work surfaces, wherein undesirable substances can be deposited.
Yet another type of prior art device joins two work surfaces using wooden strips operating with tension springs. One wooden strip is adhesively mounted to the underside of a first work surface while another wooden strip is mounted to the underside of a second work surface. A side of the first work surface is then positioned in adjacent a side of the second work surface, and adhesive is applied between the two edges. Tension springs are then extended from the wooden strip on the first work surface to the wooden strip on the second work surface, pulling the two work surfaces together as the adhesive between the edges sets.
Such a system is overly complex and expensive because it utilizes an excessive number of interacting parts to connect the work surfaces. The system is also very time-consuming to use because it requires a user to wait for adhesive to set on two separate occasions before the work surfaces can be connected. Should the work surfaces become disconnected, it is also very time consuming to reconnect them because the aforementioned steps would have to be repeated in full. Also, adhesive connections do not typically provide the strength and stability of mechanical connections.
It is therefore advantageous to have a simple, quick, and inexpensive device for joining individual work surfaces to produce one large work surface. It is also advantageous if the joined work surfaces could be easily disjoined. Finally, it is beneficial if the seam between the joined work surfaces is resistant to the collection of undesirable substances.